Tuesday, 11 February 2014

Amazing mix of textures and a nice contrast between sourness and sweetness.

Ingredients(serves 2 persons)

1 aubergine
1 pita toasted and crumbled ( the original recipe calls for fried pita, but I made the lighter version)
half a pomegranate
6-8 cherry tomatoes
1 red bell pepper
1 carrot
a handful of toasted hazelnuts
escarole or any other type of crunchy leaf
Dressing :
minced garlic - a quarter of a clove
lemon juice from 1 lemon
olive oil

sumac and dry mint

How it`s made

1. Cut the aubergine in fine stripes. Grill them over high heat and leave them to cool. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar and some minced garlic. Toss everything.
2. Place the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.
3. Just before serving prepare the dressing by shaking the olive oil, lemon juice and garlic in a small jar with a lid. Pour the dressing and sprinkle generously with sumac and mint.

1. Peel and slice the sweet potatoes. Preheat the oven at 175 C. Put the potatoes in a bowl, sprinkle them with some salt and pepper. Add about 1 teaspoon of olive oil and toss. Add 2 tablespoons of grated Grana Padano and toss. You can skip the last step, but it will add lots of flavor. Bake the sweet potatoes in an oven paper covered tray for 20 minutes or so.
2. Finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes and the Kalamata olives. Crumble the feta cheese.
3. Mix everything in a bowl and prepare the dressing in a small jar with a lid. Shake the dressing as you would do with a James Bond Martini.
4. Right before eating, toss the salad and dressing.

1. Roast the peppers. They are ready when their skin has black blisters. Put them in a bowl and cover with cling film; in about 5 minutes you can easily peel them of the skin.
2. Clean the mussels ( remove the beards, any barnacle and discard the opened ones if they do not close when you tap them).
3. Cook the mussels in a hot skillet. Just mix them with a sliced clove of garlic and a splash of white wine, put the lid on and wait for 3-4 minutes, until most of them are open. Throw out any that do not open.
4. Remove the mussel meat and reserve the big shells to fill.
5. In a bowl mix the finely chopped roasted red peppers, chopped mussels, crushed pine nuts, the toasted bread crumbs, worchester sauce, tabasco, lemon juice and black pepper.
6. Fill each shell, place it in a tray and sprinkle with a bit of parmesan.
7. Put them under the hot grill for about 3-4 minutes.